Juddmonte International preview: Crystal can shine at York

The Juddmonte International Stakes is one of the most prestigious Group 1s in the world, and the recent roll of honour is rather befitting of such a highly sought-after prize, with legends of the turf Sea The Stars (2009) and Frankel (2012) amongst those to have proven their greatness on the Knavesmire.

Horses trained by Sir Michael Stoute have also made the headlines in the race, with the Newmarket handler responsible for no fewer than six winners since 1986, and he will be hopeful of adding to his record haul in this year’s renewal with Crystal Ocean.

It would be pushing it to say that Crystal Ocean is a legend of the turf as things stand, but he is undoubtedly a top-class performer on his day, as he showed when fighting out a thrilling finish to last month’s King George with Enable, a race that arguably contributed more to his legacy than any of his eight career wins to date.

Beaten just a neck at the line, Crystal Ocean emerged from that defeat with great credit—and as the best horse at the weights given that he was trying to concede 3 lb to John Gosden’s brilliant mare—and that form sets the clear standard in the absence of Enable here, with the drop back in trip clearly no issue on the evidence of his earlier Prince of Wales’s Stakes victory at Royal Ascot, when beating Magical comfortably by a length and a quarter.

Spine-tingling! Enable wins the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes again in a titanic battle up the @Ascot straight with Crystal Ocean! pic.twitter.com/tD76zmVmbd

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 27, 2019

With Magical now on course for a clash with Enable in Thursday’s Yorkshire Oaks, Aidan O’Brien instead relies on a pair of three-year-olds in his bid to lower the colours of Crystal Ocean, namely Circus Maximus and Japan.

The latter brought a big reputation into this season, and, having endured an interrupted preparation in the spring, he hasn’t looked back since his encouraging reappearance in the Dante Stakes over C&D, following his close-up third in the Derby with wins in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp.

Admittedly, he wasn’t as explosive when recording his first Group 1 success in France as he had been at the Royal meeting, but the result never looked in any doubt, always travelling strongly and just needing to be pushed out by Ryan Moore late on to get the verdict by a half a length from Slalom. He remains with potential after only seven starts and shouldn’t be underestimated, for all that this represents comfortably the stiffest task of his career to date, taking on his elders for the first time over a trip possibly shy of his optimum.

Top class! Japan wins the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien at @paris_longchamp… pic.twitter.com/aMlqUgIuMx

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 14, 2019

Circus Maximus – who was three places behind Japan in the Derby – has made his name as a miler in more recent starts, winning the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot (by a neck from King of Comedy), before proving at least as good as ever when half a length second to Too Darn Hot in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last time.

Likely to prove equally effective now back up in trip, there is no reason why he shouldn’t continue to give a good account, though he possibly lacks the same scope for improvement as some of his rivals, and even his best form leaves him with plenty to find with Crystal Ocean.

Connections of King of Comedy will also be hopeful of reversing the places from Royal Ascot. Indeed, he looked an unlucky loser on that occasion, forced to deliver his challenge from further in a steadily-run race and ultimately doing well under the circumstances to finish as close as he did.

The way he rattled home at the death suggests that he may have even more to offer now stepping up in trip, and, representing the John Gosden/Frankie Dettori combination that continues to sweep all before it, he is fancied to emerge as the pick of the classic generation.

The older brigade, on the other hand, looks rather weak here with the exception of Crystal Ocean, though a positive mention can be given to the locally-trained pair of Elarqam and Lord Glitters.

The former – who was supplemented at a cost of £75,000 on Thursday – has done little wrong this season, notably showing much improved form to win the York Stakes over C&D (well-positioned, by three and a quarter lengths from subsequent Group 3 winner Addeybb) last time.

He is well worth another try at the top level on that evidence, though whether he will be able to confirm that improvement in this more competitive environment remains to be seen, with the conditions/run of the race likely to be much different to what he encountered last time.

An impressive victory!

The @SkyBet York Stakes goes to the well bred Elarqam under @oneill141 for the @Johnston_Racing yard. #SummerFestival2019 pic.twitter.com/QesJ5D7kbb

— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) July 27, 2019

Meanwhile, Lord Glitters won the Strensall Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago and proved better than ever when also landing the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot (by a neck from Beat The Bank), staying on strongly to assert close home.

He wasn’t seen to best effect when fifth (three lengths behind Too Darn Hot) in the Sussex Stakes last time, finishing with running left having been left poorly placed in a slowly-run race, and this experiment over further is one well worth taking on, for all that the task of trying to concede 7 lb to some high-class three-year-olds is likely to prove beyond him, let alone trying to beat Crystal Ocean.

Of the rest, Regal Reality has form that ties in closely with some of these, finishing third (beaten two and three quarter lengths) behind Enable and Magical in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, before possibly finding the testing conditions against him when only fourth (beaten five and a quarter lengths) behind Elarqam in the York Stakes last time.

Cheval Grand brings some different form lines to the table, a high-class performer in his native Japan who shaped as if retaining plenty of ability when chasing home Old Persian in the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan in March. He needs to bounce back from a below-par effort on his first start on British soil in the King George last time, however, while Thundering Blue produced a career best when third in this race 12 months ago, but is yet to reproduce that form in three starts this term.

Conclusion

In summary, it is very hard to look past Crystal Ocean in the absence of old foes Enable and Magical. The form of his last two efforts at Ascot set the clear standard – as well as demonstrating his versatility for a trainer who loves this race – and the odds-against quotes currently on offer look well worth snapping up. King of Comedy and Japan look the pick of the three-year-olds and can battle it out for a share of the minor money.

Recommendation:

Back Crystal Ocean at 6/5 in Wednesday's Juddmonte International Stakes at York